Polk's Soliloquy

General Fiction

By Keith Shovlin

Publisher : Lulu.com

ABOUT Keith Shovlin

Keith Shovlin
Originally from Beaver, PA, just north of Pittsburgh, I currently live in Arlington, VA, with my wife Megan. I moved to the DC area in 2002 to finish my Bachelor's at American University. After writing for various newspapers from high school through college, I endeavored to explore the ima More...

Description

Meet Polk Fauxston, a recent college grad trying to make a life for himself in Washington, DC. He navigates the city as he moves through his life with the help of friends and the specter of relationships past, present, and possible future. He explores the roads of love, work and passion in his search for a life worth living.

His name is Polk. He's living his dream life now under a week from his 23rd birthday, resting comfortably in a hammock between two large oaks in the back yard of his house in Virginia. He enjoys the rich sunshine that pierces the leaves of the well kept trees providing a heavenly glow capped by a majestic rainbow bridging the sky above his home. Polk breathes deep and feels the fresh air fill his lungs, and also detects the faint smell of steak, cooking gently on the nearby grill. He stands to check on the thick porterhouse slowly being kissed by the flames from the charcoal below. He hears the patio door open but doesn't turn. His wife grabs him from behind and hands him an ice cold beer. He says thank you and turns to kiss her, and looks straight into . . . his alarm clock. It's 7:30 a.m., and Polk has to get up and go to work. His torso jerks up and looks around his apartment, quiet and alone. Disappointed, he collapses back onto the bed and slams the snooze button with his right hand. "Nine more minutes, I'm not ready for reality just yet."